The present invention relates to a disposable training pant or incontinent garment where improved fit and adjustability is provided. Specifically, the invention relates to disposable training pants for a child or adult incontinent articles. Generally these incontinent articles or training pants have elasticated side panels with woven or nonwoven fibrous layers provided on the outer and/or inner faces of the elastic side panels.
Conventional baby diapers and some adult incontinent products are produced with adjustable adhesive closure systems provided on opposing ears or corner portions of the garment. These closure systems comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive fastening tab permanently attached to one garment ear at one end of the fastening tab with a fastening tab free end stored on a release tape or film prior to use. The fastening tab is permanently attached at one end of the diaper and the fastening tab free end releasably secures to an opposing end of the diaper when in use. The diaper opposing end, generally the front end, is often provided with a reinforcement strip or tape on the inner or outer face of an outer liquid-impermeable back sheet where the fastening tab free end adheres. The back sheet is conventionally a thin polyethylene polymer or copolymer film. As the adhesive fastening tab free end can be placed across the entire front end of the diaper the diaper waist opening is easily adjusted to the individual wearer.
When training the child to use a toilet, traditionally, a training pant is used. This training pant is generally a cloth garment provided with absorbent fabric and is used in combination with a rubber outer pant, or the like. Recently, disposable training pants have become popular. However, these disposable training pants lack the adjustability of a conventional diaper adhesive fastening tab closure system.
Slight adjustability in fit or size have been obtained by extensive use of elastics in disposable training pants. The elastics are used, for example; in the leg regions; in the waist regions; along the side panel portions of the training pants, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,753 (van Gompel et al.)--elasticized stretchable side panels; U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,433 (Hasse et al.)--elasticated ear flaps; European Patent 547 497 A2 (van Gompel et al.)--elastic side panels having a gradient stretch or elastic bands in the side panels; elasticated waist and leg openings--elasticated waist and leg openings; European Patent 526 868 A2--elastic front ear portions or U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,932 (Nomura et al.)--elasticated waist and leg regions. Others patents describing the use of elastics include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,940,464; 4,938,757; 5,171,439; and 5,188,627. The difficulty with these designs rests in the limited adjustability provided by elastics regardless of placement (be it in the waist, leg, side panel region or a combination thereof) or the extent to which elastic is used in the training pants. Although generally the more elastic used the more adjustable the fit or size there are limits. Generally improvements in adjustability of fit diminish with increasing use of elastic in a training pant design. Further using increased levels of elastic in a disposable training pant also increases manufacturing complexity and cost.
The present invention seeks to provide a disposable training pant with increased adjustability in fit or size beyond that obtainable with elastics.